Wondering why Beyoncé was crowned Billboard's Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century, even ahead of Taylor Swift? With a career marked by innovation, influence, and unmatched excellence, Beyoncé has consistently set the standard for pop stardom over the past two decades.

While Taylor Swift is the century's biggest pop star by the numbers, Beyoncé tops our staff-chosen editorial list based on her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution. With the first quarter of the 21st century coming to a close,